AMC's Best Day Hikes in the Shenandoah Valley: Four-Season Guide to 50 of the Best Trails from Harpers Ferry to Jefferson National Forest

by Jennifer Adach, Michael R. Martin

Overview

One of the most iconic American regions, the Shenandoah Valley has served as a home to presidents, a cradle of colonial America, a battleground during the Civil War, and a crucible for the United States’ recovery from the Great Depression. It’s also a lush, dramatic, ruggedly beautiful area, with access for hikers of all skill levels to see the landscapes close up that shaped our nation’s history. Whether you’re an avid backpacker or you seek adventure in your own backyard, this must-have resource covers the entirety of the Shenandoah Valley, with 50 curated hiking routes exploring Harpers Ferry, Shenandoah National Park, Massanutten Mountain, and more. Hikes range from easy walks of a few miles with little elevation gain to more demanding treks through challenging terrain. An at-a-glance trip planner highlights the best options near public transportation, as well as those for kids, dogs, and winter snowshoeing. With GPS coordinates for every trailhead, turn-by-turn directions, and information on time, distance, and difficulty for each hike, as well as enriching essays about the area’s natural and social history, this is your quintessential guide to uncovering and exploring the hidden gems of a sprawling and historic wilderness. Inside You’ll Find: • 50 recommended hikes for all ability levels and seasons• At-a-glance trip planner to help you find the trip that’s right for you• Detailed maps showing parking areas, trails, and natural highlights• Summaries of time, distance, and difficulty level for each trail• GPS coordinates for every trailhead• Hiking and safety tips, including advice on what to carry in your pack• Essays on the nature and history of the region ALSO AVAILABLE Best Day Hikes near Washington, D.C.: Four-Season Guide to 50 of the Best Trails in Maryland, Virginia & the Nation’s Capital, 2nd Edition, by Beth Homicz and Annie Eddy ISBN-13: 978-1-62842-037-1 Quiet Water Mid-Atlantic: AMC’s Canoe and Kayak Guide to the Best Ponds, Lakes, and Easy Rivers, from Pennsylvania to Virginia, by Rachel Cooper ISBN-13: 978-1-62842-087-6 AMC's Best Day Hikes in New Jersey: Four-Season Guide to 50 of the Best Trails in the Garden State, from the Skylands to the Shore, by Priscilla Estes ISBN: 978-1-62842-081-4

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781628421071
Publisher:	Appalachian Mountain Club Books MA
Publication date:	02/07/2020
Series:	AMC's Best Day Hikes
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	1,026,240
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Michael R. Martin is a lifelong backpacker and outdoorsman. The author of AMC’s Best Backpacking in the Mid-Atlantic and a contributor to AMC Outdoors magazine, he also leads, organizes, and teaches as part of the same D.C. ultralight backpacking group. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia.

Table of Contents

Locator Map iv

At-a-Glance Trip Planner viii

Acknowledgments xiv

Introduction xv

How to Use This Book xvii

Trip Planning and Safety xix

Section 1 Harpers Ferry and North Virginia Piedmont 1

1 Virginius Island 3

2 Maryland Heights 6

3 Loudoun Heights 11

4 Raven Rocks 15

5 Shenandoah River State Park 18

6 Sky Meadows State Park 23

Section 2 Shenandoah National Park, North District 27

7 Compton Gap 29

8 Big Devils Stairs 35

9 Dickey Ridge 38

10 Overall Run 42

11 Little Devils Stairs 46

12 Jeremy's Run and Knob Mountain 50

13 Bluff-A.T.-Mount Marshall Trails 54

Section 3 Shenandoah National Park, Central District 59

14 Limberlost 61

15 Mary's Rock 65

16 Stony Man 69

17 Lewis Falls 72

18 South River Falls 76

19 Rose River Falls 79

20 Dark Hollow Falls 83

21 Hawksbill 87

22 Rapidan Camp 91

23 Old Rag 96

24 Mount Robertson, Corbin Hollow 101

25 Whiteoak and Cedar Run 105

26 Bearfence 109

Section 4 Shenandoah National Park, South District 113

27 Hightop Mountain 116

28 Doyles River, Jones Run Falls 120

29 Big Run, Brown Mountain Loop 124

30 Trayfoot Mountain and Paine Run Loop 128

31 Blackrock 132

32 Riprap Hollow 136

Section 5 Massanutten Mountain 141

33 Buzzard Rock 143

34 Kennedy Peak 147

35 Duncan Knob 151

36 Signal Knob 156

37 Strickler Knob 161

38 Emerald Pond 165

Section 6 Great North Mountain and Ramseys Draft Wilderness 169

39 Big Schloss 171

40 Tibbet Knob 175

41 Halfmoon Mountain 179

42 White Rock Cliff/Opa Overlook 184

Section 7 Jefferson National Forest and the Blue Ridge Mountains 189

43 Humpback Rocks 191

44 Spy Rock 195

45 Crabtree Falls 198

46 Apple Orchard Falls 202

47 Cold Mountain 206

48 Mount Pleasant 210

49 Devil's Marbleyard 214

50 Three Ridges 217

Essays

Harpers Ferry 10

War in the Shenandoah Valley 22

Skyline Drive: Building "A Wonder Way" 33

Putting the Nation to Work 68

Presidents in Shenandoah 95

Preserving the Night Sky 115

Grander than the Himalaya 155

The Tuscarora Trail 174

The Appalachian Trail in Virginia 183

Invasive Species in Virginia 201

Appendix: Information and Resources 221

Index 223

About the Authors 228

About AMC in the Mid-Atlantic 229

AMC Book Updates 230